Combined collapsible music stand and carrying case



- J. W. ADAM] May 10, 1960 COMBINED COLLAPSIBLE MUSIC STAND AND CARRYING CASE Filed Feb. 10, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 .5. lull I' INVENTOR. 4 Id W BY ATTORNEY.

May 10, 1960 J. w. ADAM'l 2,935,812

COMBINED COLLAPSIBLE MUSIC STAND AND CARRYING CASE Filed Feb. 10, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR.

W ATTORNEY.

COMBINED COLLAPSIBLE MUSIC STAND AND CARRYING CASE Filed Feb. 10, 1959 J. W. ADAM! May 16, 1960 3 Sheets- Sheet 3 INVENTOR. LJ-

fi ATTORNEY.

COMBINED COLLAPSIBLE MUSIC STAND AND CARRYING CASE James W.Adami, Terre Haute, Ind. Application February 10, 1959, Serial No. 792,347 7 Claims. (Cl. '45--121) I have been provided but most of them were extremely complicated structures, or were structures which were too small to accommodate all of the scores necessary for an evenings performance.

The present combined stand and case is characterized particularly by lightness in weight, compactness, simplicity in design, and effectiveness both as a case and asa stand, the combination providing effectively for both carrying and supporting functions without detracting from either.

For convenience in illustration and description, the relative positions of the various parts are made apparent by describing them as though they are in the position in which they serve as a stand, the actual positions, but not the relative positions thus defined, of all the parts being changed when they are in closed andinverted position in which they serve as a carrying case.

Various objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description,

wherein referenceis made to the drawings in which:

Fig; 1 is a perspective view of the combined carrying case and stand with the parts in. position for use as a stand; 7

Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of the combined carrying case and stand with the parts in position for use as 'a carrying case;

Fig. 3 is a left end elevation of the stand illustrated inFig.1;and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modification of the invention.

Referringv first to Fig. 1, wherein the collapsible music stand and carrying case is shown in the condition for use as a stand, the combined stand and carrying case atent ice 7 rear wall member 1.

Lln order to secure the top wall 3 fixedly in position relative to the rear Wall member 1, suitable frame members 5 of aluminum or other light stock are secured along the lateral margins, respectively, of the rear wall member 1. At their upper ends, the frame members are bent out forwardly, as indicated at 6, and secured fixedly to the top wall 3, thus holding it fixedly in position relative to the rear wall member 1 in a plane normal to the plane of the rear wall member 1.

In order to secure the front wall member 2 in a position in which it slopes forwardly and downwardly from the top wall 3, and thus occupies a position in which it can support music for use by the instrumentalist, suitable brackets 7 are connected, each at one end, to the wall member 2. The brackets are hingedly connected to the wall member 2 by hinges 8 so that they can be swung outwardly from the plane thereof and connected to the rear wall member 1, when the parts serve as a stand, or

. juxtaposed against the rear face of the front wall member 2 when the parts are folded into position to serve as a carrying case. At their opposite ends, the brackets 7 are provided with suitable slots 9 which are adapted to be engaged by suitable bolts 10 extending through the rear wall member 1 and the frame members 5. Wing nuts 11 cooperate with the bolts 10 for detachably securing the other ends of the brackets 7 in fixed position relative to the rear wall member 1.

The hinges 4 may be connected either directly to the top wall 3 or indirectly through the frame members 5.

To support the rear wall member 1 in upright position, suitable legs 12 are provided. The legs12 preferably are in the form of light rigid strips of aluminum which are detachably fastened to the lower portion of the rear 7 wall member 1, each by means of an associated bolt 13 comprises a generally upright rear wall member 1 and a r front wall member 2. Suitable connecting means for connecting these members together at their upper margins for swinging flatwise relatively toward and away from each otherareprovided. Since it is desirable to have a relatively wide space between the forward face of the rear Wall member 1 and the rear face of the front and wing nut 14, the upper ends of the legs 12 having a suitable aperture for receiving the bolt, respectively. The strips providing the legsv maybe channel shape in cross section if greater rigidity is desired. The legs may be swung to different adjusted positions about the bolts 13 and secured in the position selected.

The stand has a bottom wall 15 which is connected movably to the forward margin of the front wall member 2 so that, when the parts are folded forserving as a carrying case, the wall 15 assumes a position parallel to the top wall 3, and, when the parts serve as a stand, the wall 15 extends upwardly and forwardly from the forward face of the wall member 2, thereby providing a stop ledge along the lower margin of the top face of the member 2 to retain the sheets of music thereon.

Suitable connecting means for this purpose may comprise hinges 16 which permit the front wall to swing from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 through 180 to the position illustrated in Fig. 2.

If desired, a suitable reinforcing frame member 17 may be connected along the inner face of the front wall member 2 and the hinges 4, 8, and 16 secured to the front end of a detachable supporting leg 20. The lower end of the leg is provided with an extension 21 secured thereto by suitable bolts 22 and wingnuts 23, thus providing a rigid forward leg which maintains the bottom wall 15 in the properposition and, at the same time, supports the "forward edge of the front wall member 2.

Mounted .on the upper edge of the bottom wall as viewed in Fig. 1, is a stationary latch element 25. Mounted on the rear lower margin of the rear wall member 1 is a cooperating movable latch element 26 which cooperates with the latch element 25 for securing the bottom wall 15 fixedly in position with respect to the rear wall member 1 when the parts are in position to serve as a carrying case. The latch may, if desired, be a conventional window latch.

The length of the brackets 7, the legs 12, the leg 29 and its detached extension 21, are such that they can he placed within the carrying case and will not extend beyond the ends thereof. At the same time, they occupy so little space that ample space remains for accommodating the musical scores or sheets.

The bottom wall 15, on the face which is exposed outwardly when the parts form a case, is provided with a suitable carrying handle 27.

The width of the bottom wall 15 preferably is substantially the same width as the top wall 3, and, thus, when the case is folded for purposes of carrying, a space of rectangular cross section is provided therein.

Ordinarily, such cases are slipped into a canvas or flexible covering of some type, as a result of which it is not necessary that the ends of the case be closed. However, if such is desired, suitable end panels can be secured on the lateral margins of the front wall member 2 or rear wall member 1, in a position to engage the other of the members when the wall members are in case formin position.

Assuming the case is being used as a stand, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the conversion thereof to the carrying case is readily efiected. The wing nuts 11 are released and the brackets 7 are swung into position against the front wall member 2. The nuts 14 are loosened so that the legs 12 can be swung alongside the inner face of the rear wall member 1. The leg is removedand the extension 21 detached therefrom and reversed in position so that it lies along the lower end portion of the leg 20. The parts are then upended so as to dispose the bottom wall 15 at the top. Thereupon the bottom wall 15 is swung back toward the rear wall member 1 and latched by the latch elements 25 and 26, thus converting the stand into a carrying case in which the legs, brackets, and the like are included and the score is contained.

In some instances,'it is desirable that the face of the stand which faces the audience be solid, or in the 'form of a panel instead of legs such as indicated at 12. For

this purpose, the structure such as illustrated in Fig. 4'

is employed. This structure is in all respects the same as that illustrated in Fig. 1 except for the fact'thatthe legs 12 and their attaching means are omitted and, instead, a panel is provided. Referring to Fig. 4, the panel 30 is connected to the rear wall In, which corresponds to the rear wall 1 of Fig. 1, by means of a suitable bolt 32 and wing nut 33. An elongated slot 34 is provided in the panel 30 to permit extension and retraction of the panel to obtain different heights.

Preferably the panel fits snugly between the frame members 5a, which correspond to the framernember s 5 of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, these frame merribers acting as a guide for the panel as it is extended and retracted. Thus the panel 30 is mounted in face to face relation to the rear wall member 1 for slidingfmov'ernent therealong to a fully extended position in whi'chit engages the floor and acts as a supporting means or leg to hold the stand at the proper elevation, and to a fully retracted position in which it overliesthe' rear wall member, 1 and can lie fully within the case when the bottom wall 15 is connected to the rear wall member 1 to convert the parts into the carrying case.

The panels and various walls of the structure may be composed of lightplywood, light sheet metal, or other relatively rigid light materials, the particular material used being relatively unimportant except that they be light and durable. Minor modifications may bemade in the structure without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A combined collapsible music stand and carrying case comprising generally upright rear wall and front wall members, means connected to the members at their upper margins and securing the members for swinging fiatwise relatively toward and away from each other about about a horizontal axis to two predetermined relative positions in one of which the rear wall member is generally upright and the front wall member slopes downwardly forwardly relative to the rear wall member at an angle such that the upper face of the front wall member provides a sheet music supporting race, and in the other of which the front wall member is disposed generally upright and forwardly from the rear wall member to provide a carrying space between the members, brackets movably connected to the members for"se'curing them in said one relative 'position'an'd for "releasing them for movement into said other relative position, a. bottom wall, connecting means connecting the bottom wall to the lower margin of the front wall member for movement relative to the front wall member from a first position of the bottom wall in which the bottom wall extends upwardly from the front wall'member when the front wall member is in said one position, to' a second position of the bottom wall in which the bottom wall extends back 'to the rear wall member when the fron'tfandrear wall members are in said'o'ther relative position, cooperating means for securing the bottom wall arid rear wall member in fixed relation to each other when the front and rear wall members are in said other relative position and the bottom wall is in said second bottom wall position, a plurality of adjustably positionable supporting means on at least' one of said members ada'pte d when inpne position relative to the members to support the members in said one relative position with said bottom wall in said first bottom wall position, and adapted when in another position to occupy the space between the members when the'rn'e'inbers are in said 'other relative position, means for-selectivelysecu'ring thesu'pporting means fixedly in said dnepasiuon and releasing the supporting means for disposal thereof in their said other position; v

2. Thefdeviceaccording to claim 1 wherein said connecting'meanscomprise a hingeextending'along ohe mar gin 6r tnebsadm'wan and the nner marginor the front a m l 3: The device according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said supporting means are connected to the rear wall member, and another of said siipportin g means is connected to thebott om wall. i

4. The structure according to claim 1 wherein connecting means connect the brackets at'their opposite ends to said wall members, respectively, with at least one end of each bracket detachable from its associated wall member. W W

'SJ'The structure according to claim 1 wherein the connecting means of each bracket includes ahinge abuse:- tion"betv veeh"one end of "the bracket and the associated with member by which the bracket can be swungfrom a'positioii'alongside' the inner face of the associated wall meffilie'rl'fo mit ng s th s? if s sienna ar t? 5 6 7. The structure according to claim 6 wherein said References Cited in the file of this patent one of said supporting means comprises a panel normally UNITED STATES PATENTS in face to face relation to the rear wall member and slidable downwardly therealong into an extended position 5 1932 in which it engages the floor, and means connecting the 5 2,639,962 Ackemlm May 1953 panel and rear wall member for downwardly sliding movement, and means for latching the panel and rear FOREIGN PATENTS wall member fixedly together in said extended position. 454,675 Italy June 22, 1948 

